


A Light in the Dark

by MimeticEternity



Category: Night at the Museum (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-02
Updated: 2015-08-02
Packaged: 2018-04-12 12:41:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4479605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MimeticEternity/pseuds/MimeticEternity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a storm causes a blackout at the museum, Ahkmenrah is forced to face his crippling fear of the dark. Larry is there to save him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Light in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [allmagiccomeswithrice (bisaleth)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bisaleth/gifts).



> This takes place in between NATM1 and NATM2. 
> 
> I read in a fic a while ago that Larry invented his devices for his museum family before he ever became successful (sorry I don't remember the fic's name!). Although it was obvious that the Giant Dog Bone was for Rexy and the Unloseable Key Ring was because of Dexter, I couldn't figure out who inspired Larry to invent the Glow-in-the-Dark Flashlight. Until now! This fic is my interpretation of how the flashlight came to be.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

_BOOM!_

  
Larry, along with almost all the exhibits in the museum, jumped startedly at the crash of thunder. It had been storming terribly for the past couple of hours, and some of the exhibits were quite distressed at the unusual weather. Larry quickly walked into the main lobby, where many of the exhibits had gathered, and started to reassure everyone. "Hey guys! So I know the weather is a little scary, but don't worry about it, everything is under contr-"

  
_BOOM!_

  
The lights went out.

  
_______________________________

  
Ahkmenrah was walking leisurely through the mostly empty halls, stopping often to read the placards on exhibits. He hadn't had the opportunity to do so when he was locked away, so he took the time now to learn more about the place he called home and the people he called family. He was in the middle of studying Sacajawea's placard when an ear-splitting boom echoed through the museum, and the whole building was plunged into darkness.

  
Ahkmenrah froze.

  
A couple of startled screams sounded throughout the museum, but Ahkmenrah struggled to simply breathe. He couldn't see anything, and the hall he was in was empty and silent. A cold sweat began to break out on his body, but he tried to reassure himself.

  
_...It's alright. I'm in the museum with my family. I'm safe. I'm free. Not...not trapped in that tomb...not suffocating..._

  
He clenched his fists tightly, eyes darting around in the hopes of seeing even a faint glimmer of light. But the darkness was absolute. He began to tremble. It was silent and still...just like when he was locked inside... "No! Enough of this! You're safe. You. are. safe."

Even as he whispered shakily to himself, insidious doubts began gnawing away at him.

  
_What if I'm not safe? What if something is wrong? I am alone again. But what if...what if I've been alone all along? Have I finally gone insane? Oh Ra, no, I was never released from my sarcophagus. I've dreamed all of this, all of them: Teddy, Sac, Attila, Jed, Octavius..._

  
_Larry._

  
_No no no nononono_

  
_Larry is real. He will save you...Right? Larry? Please. Please!_

  
_"LARRY!"_  
_______________________________

  
The ray of light glided effortlessly over walls and exhibits as Larry jogged through the halls of the museum. He had tried to make sure that everyone was gathered in the main lobby before he left to find the generators, but he knew that there was no way he had gotten everyone. He went through a mental checklist.

  
_Teddy? Check. Sac? Check. Attila? Check. Rexy and the Neanderthals? Check._

  
_Ahkmenrah?..._

  
He stumbled and nearly tripped at the realization that he had forgotten about Ahkmenrah. "Larry, you idiot!" He turned and immediately started jogging towards Ahkmenrah's tomb, when he heard a terrified scream.

  
_"LARRY!"_

  
Horrified at the sheer desperation he heard in that call, he sprinted towards where the scream came from. "Ahkmenrah! Ahk, where are you?!" The sound of crying became louder as he sped towards the Hall of North American Mammals, and he skidded to a halt as he turned the corner and entered the hall. There, curled up with his arms around his knees, was Ahkmenrah. Larry kneeled in front of him and set the flashlight down so that the light was facing them. "Ahkmenrah? Hey, it's okay! The power just went out, but it'll be back on soon."

  
Ahkmenrah looked up at the sound of Larry's voice, and, much to Larry's shock, all but threw himself into the night guard's arms, chest heaving with a mixture of joyous laughter and crying. "Y-You're here! I-I knew you w-would not leave me."

  
Larry, at a loss for words and still stunned by the sudden armful of crying, Egyptian pharaoh, raised his arms and hugged Ahkmenrah back. "I'm not going anywhere, Ahk. Don't worry." Spotting the flashlight that was still laying on the floor, Larry pulled back with a small smile and picked it up. "Here, you can hold the flashlight tonight."

  
Ahkmenrah wiped his eyes and sniffed before looking at the torch. Their fingers brushed as Larry handed it to him, and Larry was glad that Ahkmenrah couldn't see the slight blush that crept over his face. Ahkmenrah smiled softly at the ray of light that split the darkness, and followed Larry as they made their way to turn on the backup generators.

  
_______________________________

  
Ahkmenrah inhaled deeply, the tablet glowing as it brought everything in the museum to life. It had been a few weeks since the blackout incident, and Ahkmenrah had been struggling to cope with his fear of the dark. He moved to lift the lid off of his sarcophagus when something caught his attention.

  
It was a light. A green, glowing light.

  
Ahkmenrah frowned at the strange thing on his chest, wondering what it was and why he could see it in the darkness of this box. He reached up curiously and poked it, jumping a little when it rolled off his chest and to the side. It looked almost like...like a flashlight! But it was glowing! He grabbed the object once more and found the switch on the side of the handle. Making sure to point the wider part of the device _away_ from his face (Larry had laughed uproariously when Ahkmenrah had forgotten to do that once), he pushed the switch. A gasp escaped him as bright light filled the sarcophagus, and he giggled excitedly as he pushed off the lid and sat up. The flashlight's glow dimmed in the light of the museum, and Ahkmenrah turned it off before placing it on his lap, cupping his hands around it to make it dark around the device, and watching as it glowed in the darkness of his hands. Giggling excitedly once more, Ahkmenrah did this multiple times, fascinated by the 'glow-in-the-dark' flashlight.

"So I'm guessing you like the flashlight?"

  
Ahkmenrah looked up to find Larry standing there, smiling shyly. "Larry? This...Where did you find this? This is amazing! Look! It is glowing!"

  
Larry laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I know. I, uh, I made it...for you. I mean, I know that you don't really like the dark so I thought, well, you know, you can have a flashlight of your own but when it's dark you can't find a regular flashlight so yeah. I hope that you, I mean, if you don't-"

  
Ahkmenrah had climbed out of his sarcophagus and pulled Larry into a hug to silence him. "I love it, Larry. Thank you so much." And with another blinding smile and a quick peck to Larry's check, Ahkmenrah all but skipped away, eager to show the rest of his family his new flashlight. Larry stood for a moment and lightly touched his cheek, before smiling and walking out of the tomb.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the first fic I've ever posted online - ever! I never would have gathered the courage to do so if it wasn't for the amazing allmagiccomeswithrice, to whom I gift this. Thank you, darlin'!


End file.
